journal article·2026-06-09Open access

Epidermal METTL1‐Mediated m7G Modification Drives Psoriatic Inflammation by Stabilizing Bdkrb1 and Orchestrating Neutrophil Recruitment

Chang Zhang, Jiayi Lu, Sihao Yan, Yirui Wang, Zhuo Li, Weiwei Chen, Yang Han, Ziyan Zhang, Yafen Yu, Qi Zhen, Liangdan Sun

Abstract

ABSTRACT The functional significance of RNA modifications, specifically N7‐methylguanosine (m7G), in inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis remains not fully elucidated. This study demonstrates that methyltransferase‐like 1 (METTL1), an m7G methyltransferase, is significantly upregulated in epidermal keratinocytes of human psoriatic lesions and imiquimod (IMQ)‐induced murine models. Utilizing mice with an inducible keratinocyte‐specific Mettl1 deletion ( Mettl1 fl/fl Krt14 ‐Cre ERT2 ), the research reveals significantly attenuated psoriasiform inflammation and decreased neutrophil infiltration relative to Mettl1 fl/fl counterparts. Mechanistically, METTL1 drives inflammation by augmenting Bdkrb1 mRNA stability through m7G modification. This stabilization leads to elevated bradykinin receptor B1 (BDKRB1) protein expression, which activates the p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in keratinocytes, promoting the secretion of key proinflammatory C‐X‐C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) chemokines and robust neutrophil chemotaxis. Crucially, both in vivo genetic BDKRB1 overexpression and pharmacological BDKRB1 activation successfully rescue the attenuated inflammatory phenotype in Mettl1 ‐deficient mice, firmly validating this specific signaling cascade. Conversely, pharmacological inhibition of the METTL1–BDKRB1 axis effectively mitigates psoriasiform inflammation. Collectively, these data establish that METTL1 modulates psoriasis by fostering p38‐dependent chemokine production and neutrophil recruitment, identifying the METTL1–BDKRB1 axis as a novel therapeutic target.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: RNA modifications and cancer · Cancer-related gene regulation · Epigenetics and DNA Methylation

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Dermatology the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University Hefei China

Institute of Dermatology Anhui Medical University Hefei Anhui China

Key Laboratory of Dermatology (Anhui Medical University) Ministry of Education Hefei Anhui China

Collaborative Innovation Center of Complex and Severe Skin Disease Anhui Medical University Hefei Anhui China

North China University of Science and Technology Affiliated Hospital Tangshan China

North China University of Science and Technology Tangshan Hebei China

Hebei Key Laboratory of Medical Engineering and Integrated Utilization of Saline alkali Land Tangshan Hebei China

Hebei Administration of TCM Key Laboratory of Quality Control of Salt alkali Resistant TCM Tangshan Hebei China

School of Public Health North China University of Science and Technology Tangshan Hebei China

The Center for Scientific Research The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University Hefei China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China

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